Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Imythess, the border between dreams and reality. We hope you enjoy your visit.

Imythess is a creative writing board where you narrate the story of a character in the medieval land of Imythess, on the planet Chaon. Each topic is an opportunity for your character to interact with the world and its peoples by cooperatively writing pieces of a story with other members, one post at a time. We call this role-playing, because you assume the identity of your character as if it were your own.

In order to play, you must register an account for each character you would like to write about, and begin their tale by filling out their basic profile information: Race (human, elf, demon, etc.), class (warrior, mage, etc.), physical appearance, and any other personal details you would like to describe. You are also encouraged to come up with some background history information for what your character's life has been like up to the point at which their story in Imythess begins.

There is no approval process or application required to join, so long as you follow the rules then you are free to write whatever character details you choose. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Create a character now!


If you're already a member, you can log into your account below:


Username:   Password:
Reply
The Hammer; [P] Kagiso
Topic Started: Tue May 27, 2014 11:40 am (1,473 Views)
Kagiso
Member Avatar


Ari had more to say about the vision. Kagiso listened intently. She self-consciously looked at her own hands. It matched up too well.

"In my vision, someone asked me 'Captain Anrin, is the vanguard ready?' and I responded 'I am always ready.' I did not respond fully in the vision but in the material plane. I said it. Reflexively." The vision flashed again. "But you said Jaito's Hammer became a golem? By your description she became a proscribed golem. A dead spirit locked into a metal body to power it." Kagiso twisted the possibility of a full reveal in her mind. "I am a proscribed golem already. A willing one." Kagiso gave a nervous chuckle. Then Ari discussed something entirely unexpected. Kagiso froze as she was propositioned so vulgarly and outright. She looked over with a blank face, her eyes dropping to Ari's considerable breasts for a moment before locking onto her eyes.

"N-n-no, I had not considered it at all. I just bought the most expensive room because I didn't want a Nalaian to think I'm cheap on the off chance they recognized you, the Painted Mantis." Kagiso still kept close to her. The offer was tempting. "Also, I wouldn't worry about us being snuck up on. I have passive sensors that allow me to detect nearby motion through the walls. I have an excellent sense of smell. I can see heat and magic as well. On top of that, we made good time." She reconsidered the offer. They were safe, and Kagiso doubted her survival through the coming days. If they took action to exorcise her spirit from the material plane, her death could become permanent.

"You must promise to not become protective of me. This body of mine can be destroyed without harming me, I intend to take advantage of that." Kagiso leaned against Ari, and held her close. Curiosity had won over her young desires about true love. She rose and turned, holding Ari around the shoulders before kissing her lightly.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Ari
Member Avatar


The realization that Ari was the incarnation of the Painted Mantis came slowly all those months ago. Perhaps too slowly. In hindsight, all the information was right in front of her and so blatant that she wondered if she was an idiot for not realizing it sooner. In her defense, she was one of many Nalaian incarnations who, in this particular generation, for whatever reason, was afflicted with a condition called "sleeping." Sleeping incarnations lacked access to their old memories, couldn't utilize or control their innate powers, or had a suppressed personality. In some rare, severe cases -- like Ari's -- all three of those things were in effect. It took a lot of time and a lot of help from many people to get to the point she was at now. She still wasn't in perfect condition, but she was better, and her status was not only guaranteed but public knowledge at this point.

The reason any of these memories even crossed the back of Ari's mind was that this situation with Kagiso's vision sounded similar. Even without specialized knowledge in the myth involved, Ari could detect the warning signs -- particularly the reflexive response, an almost textbook symptom according to Melati. The warrior wanted to let Kagiso know that this was a possibility, but then second-guessed herself. Melati, a specialist in sleeping incarnations, would be able to tell the difference between a potential incarnation and an unrelated magical assault on the mind. She would also know when to have discretion -- like whether it would be a good idea to let Kagiso know of the possibility in the first place, or if that had the potential of backfiring.

Besides, there was a much more interesting distraction in place soon after that brief exchange of information. Ari smiled, accepting everything Kagiso said and did as it went. Some thought in the back of her mind half-heartedly made a note to try learning more about the myth of Jaito's Hammer -- tomorrow. "Can't argue with that kind of logic." Ironic, as Ari admitted to herself that she was more a creature of instinct than reason.

The implications behind the golem's request made Ari chuckle a little. A statement like that hinted at some naivete that was almost refreshing -- like Kagiso thought intimacy between barely-acquaintances could easily lead to more meaningful feelings. In the space between request and response, she calmly accepted Kagiso's advances and even brought her in a bit closer, wrapping one arm around the small of her back. Unlike what she expected from a golem, her skin had the same kind of texture and give as normal flesh. That pretty much answered one of several related questions she had about Kagiso and how her body actually worked. She didn't bother to take the time to wonder about the "why" or "how" of it. "Yeah. I promise."



Our first meeting didn't last long. Fundamental personality conflicts, you could say. I like to live by my own willpower. People have limited willpower, you know, and I didn't want to waste a portion of that trying to drag a herd of lesser souls behind my own accomplishments. So that's why captains and commanders baffle me. Not just that, but they spend a lot of time projecting their force of personality outward, you know, like wasted energy, too. I saw Anrin up on the hill in formation. That vanguard looked indestructible, sure, but I could tell already that this wasn't going to work. That she was just another mortal commander. Nothing special about her at all.

Ari's eyes snapped open. It took her several seconds to realize that she had been dreaming. It was pitch-black both outside and in their room. Vibrations, footsteps, were what had woken her up. They got stronger as they got closer. Sliding her legs carefully under the sheets and out the side of the bed, she rose, carrying Agorst with her. Ari stalked over to the corner that gave her a good view of both front and back doors while remaining hidden. Her thumb pressed against Agorst's crossguard, revealing a sliver of bare steel as scarred as her own body.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Kagiso
Member Avatar


The mercenary dreamed of passionate bodies. A war without end. Blades that broke against armor. The eternal charge, replayed in a dozen forms. At night, torches flickering. At day, through a shrieking blizzard. At sunset, through the gates of a castle. At dawn, her body broken as hooks tore her and men crawled inside of her, hacking at her binding spikes. Then, darkness.

Kagiso awoke to the feeling of many footsteps. Her mind locked itself down and removed the bitter aftertaste of her dreamed of death. She rose, her eyes flipping to see magic in the pitch darkness. The lense locked in and the world became awash in color. She strode across the room and pulled her repeater from atop the pile of bags she'd left it. Without a sound she pressed herself up against the wall beside the door. She switched her vision again, the world of swirling magic sliding away like a sunset, replaced by the rising moon of heat vision. She counted the number of hostiles as they walked down the hall. They were armed, but not fully armored. And they were moving in a tight formation. An unwieldy weapon would be of little use against the group in the hall. She clipped her weapon above her rear on a pair of hooks that had slotted out of her back.

Ari awoke and took up a different position where she could watch both doors. Kagiso let her group get closer, and used their attempted stealth as time to activate the full breadth of the Alpha system. Lines of magic rippled across her body, taking sharp angles as they rooted into her elements. Spheres rose from her shoulders, suspended on three prongs. Her arms shifted, reforming into plates and revealing turbofans before slotting back together. Her palms split, revealing tiny motes of light.

She felt her foes stack up against the door, and burst into action. She rose and anchored herself on the wall, her hand gripping the frame of the sliding door. Her left arm burst open, metal plates sliding apart. A pair of rods extended backwards and a second pair extended forwards. Above and beneath her arm four equidistant turbofans burned red hot. Kagiso released the brake. Her fist rocketed forwards, crashing through the door. She pressed her body after it as the door broke into pieces. She twisted her wrist and grabbed a man around the neck. A ray of light burst out the back of his neck. Kagiso dropped him and shifted into the group, a thick black smoke surrounding her.

In all her days of fighting, Kagiso had learned one truth: She who strikes first, wins.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Ari
Member Avatar


Every footfall sent little ripples of force through the ground, across every adjacent solid surface. Ari slid her bare feet over the floorboards, bent her knees more, started to shift her weight back and forth until she was swaying. Kagiso faded into the background of her perception. What she really focused on were their attackers. Prey. Though they might not know it. Her heart thumped in her chest and she didn't feel tired anymore. Had she not any kind of mental restraint, Ari might have gotten sidetracked by her own fragmented fantasies: that they would be challenging and exciting to kill. That they would run and give her a good chase. What broke her mind out of that slippery slope was the fact that there was a disconnect -- that drive almost didn't feel like her own, even though it was.

She closed her eyes to sweep away all the chaos in her mind. One deep breath, in and out. Her world became a mosaic of smells. A triangle of dots appeared on her forehead, emulating the simple eyes on a mantis. Their attackers could not hide from her anymore. Not even the smoke cloud Kagiso made would let them get away from her.

Ari disappeared.

She flickered back into existence while pouncing on a man from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck and snapping it. Blades turned to her, but she was gone before the body even hit the floor, stalking any scent that looked like it was going to try something funny against Kagiso.

The enemies scrambled, panicked. One called out to run. It wasn't worth it, they said. How many seconds had they lasted? Not even ten? A team sent to face an ancient reincarnation and a deadly proscribed golem, and they couldn't even weather the first clash without their morale shattering like twigs? Ari realized that the twisting feeling in her gut, the blood pounding behind her ears, was anger. Anger stemming from disappointment, of all things.

She smelled one of them taking off running down the hall, and her instincts made her act before she even consciously registered it. Ari appeared again, this time coming in low from behind, Agorst reaching out. The weapon left behind a tangible after-image that tripped the man -- and a loud crack of his ankle followed -- but she wasn't done yet. Her dull blade left the after-image as it swept upward, hitting the falling assassin in the throat. She disappeared as soon as she followed-through.

A new scent appeared at the edge of her senses. It came from outside, of all places. Quick. Ari slid through the smoke-filled halls invisible. Once she was back behind Kagiso, she raised Agorst in a two-handed parrying form and smelled the new arrival close in. It slipped inside the room without opening the doors, silent and unable to be seen.

Without warning, a spiraling lance of shadow energy shot toward Kagiso's back. Ari intercepted with impeccable reflexes, hitting the strike at just the right angle to redirect it. She became visible as the energy arced across Agorst and out the tip, a moment later slamming into the chest of one of the attackers with enough force to impale.

This new attacker -- perhaps the true assassin -- never showed themselves even after launching that ability.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Kagiso
Member Avatar


Kagiso redirected an incoming fist and pulled it over her shoulder. She twisted and buried and elbow straight into her opponent's armpit, then simultaneously lifted him and pulled straight downwards. There was a pop as his arm was dislocated. She tossed him into the rest of the fleeing foes. Ari reappeared behind her, deflecting a lance of shadow energy skyward and annihilating the last straggler. Kagiso stopped and concentrated, her eyes glowing bright white.

"Our foe is quite capable, but this is not the best environment for his talents." Kagiso explained. She cracked her fists together as her skin reformed itself. Her internal mechanisms were revealed as her arms reformed into a network of tightly locked and thick triangular shapes. Bright red pins ejected themselves from her drives. The drives burned white hot, the motivators came alive with a shriek and her turbines burned off clouds of boiling heat. Almost effortlessly she jammed open hand through one of the thin walls of the complex, and then she pulled one of the supporting beams out. It bled.

"A warrior who can become one with the environment must be cautious in a place like this!" Kagiso howled. She struck again, her fist plowing through the floor and straight to the dirt. The earth shook as though a titan had struck it. Nails and floorboards popped free. Screams lit through the complex as lanterns fell. Kagiso turned to Ari as her drives reduced to normal power and more heating vents opened as her skin reformed itself to a more typical shape. "We should go." Their foe would recover from the blow Kagiso dealt in a moment, but his magic wasn't simply powerful. It was impossible. He had enacted some great ritual to inject himself into the building in part. Spread himself to attack from any angle. If the inn had been a sturdier building, Kagiso's methods wouldn't have worked.

And soon enough, he would recover and kill them if they didn't leave.

"Now." Kagiso ordered. She moved significantly slower than she had prior, and picked up her bags from the inn room.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Ari
Member Avatar


"Yes." Ari scooped up her armor bag, the one with the glaive tied to it, as well as the straps on the food canister that held the rest of her personal possessions. She was prepared for a fast retreat. Honestly, Ari halfway hadn't expected their enemies to give them the courtesy of a couple hours of sleep. Either the two of them were relatively low-priority targets or they had trouble tracking them down.

The wondering didn't begin until their early-morning journey was well underway. Something finally hit Ari: why were they being chased, exactly? Melati had given the strong impression they were going to be, and that turned out to be correct. Ari had at first dismissed it as being the result of them being friends with that incarnation of the Royal Butcher. But why expend so much effort when a civil war was going on? What did the Stone Knight want?

Dawn finally hit the edge of the sharp up-slope they'd been climbing for the past several miles. There were too many troops on the main road, so Ari bushwhacked a path through dense forest and downright punishing terrain. They climbed an almost vertical ridge and took a moment's break at the top. That was when the incarnation spotted Mandira for the first time. It didn't look any different from this distance, but the atmosphere was all wrong. The troops patrolling the easiest access points flew a crest that Ari couldn't even recognize, though it gave her that sort of aggravating deja vu she always got when her ancestral memories were being unconsciously stimulated.

Closer still, the City of Temples was strategically surrounded with makeshift fortifications and large camps of warriors. Hiding was no longer possible.

"Halt."

Ari had led Kagiso onto a stretch of road leading into Mandira. The only people within sight were herself, her bodyguard and a small squad of warriors. They wore full lamellar armor, helmets and masks included, and were armed with both spears and swords on horseback.

"Both of you, state your name and purpose immediately."

She rolled her shoulders back, leveled her eyes on the one speaking, and casually propped her hand over Agorst. "I am Bethari, the incarnation of the Painted Mantis. I only grant you this introduction so you understand one thing: that none of you are in a position to make demands of us." They had traveled far and she was in no mood for games.

"An incarnation is not as unusual or impressive a sight as it once was," the soldier snapped back. "Have you enough basic civility to cooperate with our 'demands,' we will grant you peaceful passage into Mandira."

"We came from Sangdan to meet with a friend. Nothing more. Even if I had an idea what side you people are on, I am neutral in this war."

"Some Mantis you are if you don't even recognize the crest of General Jaito," another soldier grumbled.

Ari ignored the quip, but noted the name of this faction. Someone related to the Jaito's Hammer incarnation. Perhaps that incarnation was allied with them, and holed up in Mandira at this very moment? "I already know what you'll say next, and the answer is no. We will not surrender our weapons or possessions to enter the city."

She could sense it. They were hesitating for a couple seconds. Deliberating in their minds whether they wanted to throw their lives away following orders, or be cowards. Not all of them believed her claim about being an incarnation, but none of them looked like they wanted to take the risk. Others were more afraid of Kagiso than Ari; she looked lethal on her own.

The leader of the group chose to follow orders. His spear came down-- and a second later, an arrow punched deep into his chest, completely bypassing the layers of armor he wore.

Ari ripped Agorst out of his sheathe and dove for cover. More arrows rained down on the mounted warriors, some completely missing the mark but others managing to punch into startled horses and enemy limbs. The incarnation struggled to ascertain where the projectiles were even coming from, much less whether the culprits were friend or just another foe.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Kagiso
Member Avatar


(first attempt at tablet post inbound >_>)

They left, moving through the ancient forests of Nalai. The main islanders had lost their collective minds. Hosts of warriors swarmed down the distant roads and couriers navigated the mess on light footed Nalaian horse. It was as though forces on the island had been preparing for this eventuality. They arrived at Mandira, the temple city that Kagiso knew little about beyond its name and what resided within it. Guards accosted them. Their banner raised familiarity in Kagiso, like how the sweet scent of irises reminded her of Flock Island. The name stirred loyalty in Kagiso, a concept she reserved for a precious handful. General Jaito was related to the big incarnation she had seen in Sangdan, Jaito's Hammer of the Vanguard.

When the fighting started, Kagiso couldn't even bring herself to move. She couldn't bring herself to kill the soldiers even though she held no feelings for them beyond the sorrow for each one cut down by the falling arrows. She did manage a reaction after her lethal pause. She grabbed Ari and rushed the woman into the miserable little conifers on the side of the trail.

"They aren't enemies, I can feel it." Kagiso said. Rarely did she give herself to vagaries like feelings and gut reactions, but it was so strong this time, an unrelenting feeling that they were her men. "We should evade the archers. There are less known routes into the city, correct?"
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Ari
Member Avatar


Ari, having been pushed almost onto her back in the brush, tossed Kagiso a strange look. "I'm sure there are, but that doesn't mean I know of them." Her frustration was apparent in her tone. Kamon, the life she was leading about a century ago, almost certainly knew of all the little ratholes that could get him in and out of Nalai's big cities. That was just the type of person he was. Unfortunately, Ari couldn't just search Kamon's memories on a whim. The warrior pushed herself back onto her feet so she could reclaim all her bags and weapons that had fallen off upon her less-than-graceful landing.

Figures broke from nearby cover, bows slung around their backs, and hurried to drag dead bodies away from the road. Two of them came toward Ari and Kagiso's hiding spot, both with the arm of a single armored Jaito guard they'd killed. "They went that way anyway," she heard one of them say.

Ari stood as they closed in, one hand on Agorst. She said nothing, but announced her presence to them regardless. It went totally against her bodyguard's recommendation, but something about Kagiso's comment had been distinctly off. Ever since they mentioned they were soldiers of General Jaito, Ari knew the woman was bound to behave differently. It was exactly how she herself had been early on, when her sleep as an incarnation was a lot deeper.

"You alright, Mantis? Cha'ne?" It took them a few seconds to place the body somewhere discreet. "We've been keeping an eye out for you two. Made damn good time."

"Who are you loyal to?" It was a complex question in this changing of the eras.

"Melati. And she's been waiting for you in the Great Temple. Only for a few hours, though."

Ari gave Kagiso a worried expression. She hoped they could at least start making sense of what was going on before her bodyguard started having complete regressions.

Anticipating tension, one of the Melati loyalists gave Kagiso a reassuring smile. "Keep in mind that General Jaito should not even be alive. He's a completely different person now."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Kagiso
Member Avatar


Kagiso froze and anger bubbled up within her when Ari stopped to speak with one of the bowman that had killed her men. She paused. That was illogical, she didn't know those men and she was a solo mercenary. The archers turned out to be their true allies, members of Melati's faction. It made Kagiso wonder how prepared the butcher had been. It seemed like very. They all spoke cryptically in a way that referenced Jaito to herself. It was quite annoying. Would a moment of mercy make her the butt end of jokes for the rest of this war?

"If that's the case, we won't sneak in. We'll rush across the rooftoops," Kagiso's mind prevented her from suggesting cutting their way through Jaito's men, "avoiding resistance until we reach Melati. Less fighting and we'll be more likely to reach Melati before she leaves." Kagiso suggested. The only problem was still all of her own heavy gear. She could just fly. she supposed. "I'll open a path."

Kagiso marched through the scraggly woods until their very end, and peered out at the city before them. The city was in chaos. The banners of Jaito's men surged around the city. The lack of an armed, enemy presence would make their job of getting through the city impossible. It was at this point Kagiso noticed airships with roughly painted insignias across their flanks coming to halt near the city. Another faction. Her eyes focused until she could make out golems jumping from the edge of the ships, forming a vanguard in front of a moving army of red soldiers. Jaito's men in the nearest sections had already begun forming up in the Mandira suburbs as the rest began moving through the city. That was good.

Kagiso sprinted across the open field and into the city that was barely a hundred feet away. With a jump and a burst of fire she ended upon on the first of many buildings and began blazing across the rooftops. A few arrows sailed up at her, but the vast majority of the troops ignored her. She bore no banners.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Ari
Member Avatar


Ari slashed the occasional arrow out of the air, keeping the moving soldiers safe as they navigated the tiled rooftops of Mandira. At the end of their journey she skidded down a sloping roof and landed in a crouch at street level. The squad surged around her and with well-trained efficiency opened up a metal bulkhead to a lower level at the back end of the Great Temple. At their behest, she was the first down the dark staircase.

She emerged into an open stone room lit only by torches on the walls and a single chandelier. All the furniture had been pushed to the walls or cannibalized into the impressive makeshift barricade keeping the internal staircase clear. Rows of bedrolls and foldout cots housed wounded Nalaians, and these patients weren't limited to just soldiers. It was hot, humid, and noisy. Awful.

The squad led Ari and Kagiso around the edge of this makeshift triage center and into an adjoining, smaller room. Multiple short tea tables had been pressed together and a large map of Nalai was draped over it, which various Nalaians were the middle of poking at and bickering over. The calm in the middle of the storm was seated at the head of the map. She was a tiny woman with a hooked nose and angular features; her brown skin was a much lighter shade than Ari's. Her top would have been short enough to expose her midriff if not for the bulky bandages around almost her entire torso and one shoulder. Unlike the rest of the people seated around the map, this woman was leaned back, calm, contemplative.

Fists hit the floor as the squad of scouts fell to low kneels, and they did it so quickly that it left Ari standing up among them with a puzzled expression on her face. "My lady!"

The woman chuckled nervously. "You really don't need to call me that. Melati is fine. Thank you; you can rest now." Her face lit up at the sight of Ari and Kagiso. "I'm so glad you're both alive. Everyone, I give you Bethari the Painted Mantis and Kagiso Cha'ne, renowned mercenary."

Stern faces greeted them. An occasional nod of greeting. They were likely just stressed from the gravity of their situation.

"I hope you two have become friends," Melati continued, giving the both of them a smile that was just playful enough to make Ari profoundly uncomfortable. "Did you run into any trouble on the way?"

"We were attacked in the middle of the night by a large group, among them a creature that could blend with the walls themselves."

"I'm not surprised. Been getting reports of classic incarnations going missing one by one ever since the war broke out. No idea if they're even still alive." The Royal Butcher looked at her retinue. "Could you continue the discussion without me for a few minutes? I'd like to speak with these two in private." Even before she was done speaking Melati was pushing herself up onto her feet, using a cane that one of her closest allies dutifully provided. Her free hand propped her body against the wall, which she followed all the way into an adjoining room. Ari kept close.

Melati's room was small and simple: a futon and then lots of pillows to sit on otherwise. Ari knelt on one of the cushions next to Kagiso once she was don helping the Royal Butcher ease her injured body onto the pile of pillows arranged almost like a seat against one corner. The tiny woman sighed, the public smile quick to wipe off her face completely. All that was left behind were utterly exhausted eyes and a mouth pressed into a thin line.

"They've rallied under me like I'm some leader, thinking I should be the one to seize the throne away from Etana. All the other factions are led by incarnations, they say." She shook her head, dismissing the momentary admission in favor of more pertinent concerns. "Ari. Kagiso. This is not the kind of war where people like you can get away with neutrality. Your first task will be to think long and hard about whose banner you want to rally behind." Unexpectedly, Melati didn't give a pointed look at Kagiso.

"Now, a lot has happened since we last spoke, and there's no time to start from the beginning. My... faction, I guess you could call it that, we're not holed up in this city because we have the upper hand or because we want to. We're trapped. General Jaito, King Etana and gods knows how many other factions are right at our doorstep, pinning us, and the only way we've been able to survive is by guile. I've been working with my advisers tirelessly to devise a plan to get us out of Nal'a and down to Aketal'a. That island is safer for us both politically and militarily.

Before I go on, do either of you have any questions for me?"
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Kagiso
Member Avatar


The situation was grim. The new invaders were applying pressure to Jaito's men but not enough to actually break them, and from Kagiso's rapidly elevating position she could see columns of men swarming out to flank the invaders. Jaito's full attention would be back on the city soon. And while Kagiso was worryingly happy to see Jaito's flank attack forming, and even wanted to join them, she still maintained a bit of worry about his men. Considering they were shooting arrows at her, and she had only made it this far by firing off far too much of her internal alchemical reserves.

They found the great temple, turned into a hospital. They wove down it until they found a strange woman who turned out to be Melati. She explained the situation further. This would be the first civil war in centuries, anywhere on Imythess. Balefire and Istani riots didn't hold a candle to the coming bloodshed. And it was driven by incarnations.

"Are we living in a rekindled mythic age?" Kagiso asked. An age of heroes. Something that would turn into song and story for all time. Something about that appealed to Kagiso. She paused. "And what of the smaller islands? Such as Flock Island?" Her home island. The secret was little known, but the greatest arcanotechnician to ever live was hiding out on that little island. Lin Cha'ne, the daughter of the heavens.

"And...why has everyone looked at me when they bring up General Jaito?" That was the her least pressing question. More of an idle curiosity. "I have never worked as a mercenary on Nalai so my homecomings could be safe. Until now, of course." Curiosity had driven her to speak more than was the norm. And rarely did you meet a heroic being like the Royal Butcher.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Ari
Member Avatar


"I suppose you're correct. It's been hundreds of years since incarnations played a major role in history en masse. In recent memory they've only been a support -- lingering in the background as a constant reminder of our history." Something in Melati's tone gave away how she felt about that, and it wasn't anything good. She looked down at her bandaged torso and frowned a little. Ari knew that the Royal Butcher had spent much of this lifetime, perhaps even previous ones, feeling powerless, like she was nothing but a mascot in this modern age. "But this is already unprecedented. So many have risen up. So many incarnations exist in this generation, more than I ever realized."

The second question Kagiso asked was how the smaller islands in Nalai's Ring would fare because of this conflict. "King Etana made a declaration yesterday evening. Any Ring island who affirms their allegiance to the throne will receive protection from elite troops and the Navy. It's a very good deal, so if Flock Island remains loyal it should also remain peaceful. At least the Stone Knight doesn't make false promises."

Kagiso's final question wiped any remaining trace of happiness or humor from Melati's face, something that for Ari was anywhere between off-putting and horrifying. The Royal Butcher had always been a trickster, cheerful and light-hearted no matter how dicey the situation got. But the complete collapse of the unified Nalaian state and her sudden, apparently unwanted thrust into a position of leadership was wearing her down. Hopefully it was just temporary; after all, it had only been twenty-four hours since Etana killed the previous King, brutally defeated Melati and seized the throne just moments before other regions of Nalai declared war.

After several moments of grave silence, Melati responded to the mercenary's question with one of her own: "Captain Anrin, is the vanguard ready?" Ari's stomach sank. She already knew that Melati wasn't going to play any games this time. "When the expansionist Istani state came in droves on their ships, Nalai had never been more tightly knit. Even Kamon, that egotistical prick, hunted them with us." She gave Ari a sideways glance, fully aware that she was instinctively offending the Mantis. "The Battle of Aketal'a was the turning point in the war. Everyone who fought was indispensable, but some key units turned out to be crucial in holding Nalai. Among them was the no-dachi swordsmen commanded by Captain Anrin, known as Jaito's Hammer of the Vanguard, the bulldog of General Jaito. Those warriors earned a reputation as being fearless and damn near invincible as they charged into battle with those massive swords.

"I remember the calm just before that battle started. It was a gathering of Nalai's greatest warriors and tactical minds, both incarnations and non. I was the Minister of Defense. We had only met once before. I asked you that question, but I should have known. The Vanguard is always ready. You shook my hand. Your sheer presence -- there was just something about you that was different from Jaito. I was certain you'd become one of the Great Generals after the Battle of Aketal'a."

"You can't just speak to her like she remembers. Will you even explain what's going on?"

"Ari. All the sleeping incarnations are slowly waking up. Whatever curse is ensnaring you all is weakening its grip. I don't--" her voice had turned into a frustrated growl, but she caught herself and took a breath to calm herself down, "--I don't know what to do anymore. I can't make sense of everything that's happening. And beyond that, I can't save anyone: not the King, not my men, not the innocents hospitalized in the other room, not the sleeping incarnations I've been watching over who are going missing or getting killed. Nothing. Normally-- normally I'd say this right here was an auspicious meeting, the three of us together again, but the situation is so different now. This country I love so much is falling apart faster than I can do anything."

Melati's eyes focused on Kagiso. "I'm sorry, Hammer of the Vanguard. I had strong suspicions for a while. I even planned to withhold the information longer from you, because I knew that as soon as you discovered your true nature you would join under the flag of your old commander. He is alive and in this very city as we speak. But before you make any major decisions, know this: Jaito, and all the other Great Generals for that matter, should not be alive. They are not incarnations in the classic sense of the term, and yet they've all suddenly awoken and mobilized virtually simultaneously. Something is happening with the Generals that I haven't even begun to understand.

"You need to pick a side. And if that side is Jaito, I would ask you to leave this place peacefully."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Kagiso
Member Avatar


Lin would never declare her loyalty to anyone. It was her island. And her golem, Valhai, the Unchained Star would see to that. Then Melati's face fell. It was a painful moment. Had Kagiso asked the wrong question? She worried to herself, hands bunching against her ammunition belt slung around her hips before she answered without thought.

"The vanguard is always ready. It is we who will crush the slovenly dogs of Istan, send them howling for their ships." Memories surged. None were within her comprehension, beyond the sense of war. A feeling of violence. An urge to win. Melati continued to speak. A combination of apology, rumination and then request. All with an edge of steel. Kagiso dropped her bags and sat against one of the few open sections of wall, her legs crooked and knees close to her face.

There were two options presented. Conflicting emotions surged through her. But her logic won out. It wasn't sensical to betray her allies to a man she had never met. Even if she was his incarnation, she had a vague sense that she wasn't truly locked to him. That she had lived in other lives, ones without the presence of Great General Jaito. But it didn't matter. She had her own choice in the matter. Her job lay with Ari, her loyalties didn't lie with simple troublemakers. Her land was Nalai. The Hammer of the Vanguard was a warrior of Nalai first and foremost.

Kagiso rose. "I have no intention of joining Jaito. He is not working in Nalai's best interest." Before Kagiso stood the one woman who would work for Nalai's interest. Melati. "But how do you plan to escape? Our situation seems grim, unless the rest of your men can fly."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Ari
Member Avatar


Melati exhaled softly as if she had been holding her breath for Kagiso's response. "It seems impossible, doesn't it? We have many wounded, me included. And beyond that, I've also secured several sleeping incarnations."

"'Secured'?"

"Don't worry, they're not confined. Most are mixed among the innocents in the shelter, while others I had to draw in with business proposals or similar worldly things. And unlike the two of you, I'd rather not risk triggering those incarnations' memories while we're still locked in here. For various reasons." Melati folded her arms on her lap, taking a few moments to collect her thoughts before continuing to answer Kagiso's question. "I've considered many options, most of which require me to sacrifice myself. What then? There's one deceptively simple plan, though..." The Royal Butcher leaned over just enough to rummage through some of the bags of random knick-knacks she kept haphazardly around her room. Once she found the one she wanted, she grabbed it by the edge and slid it over to them. It was full of small rocks, each one covered in arcane etchings.

"Portal stones. Lined up properly on both ends, they can create a huge portal that's so stable it lasts for days. Big enough to fit huge crowds of people, stretchers, horses, golems, even small pieces of siege equipment."

"That sounds great. So why are you looking at them with disgust?"

Melati glared at Ari. "Because three of my warriors died getting these stones, yet I didn't account for the fact that my true form is too small to carry them all across the sea. I, in my infinite incarnation wisdom, didn't realize just how many stones were necessary. I would never allow any of my men, or kings-forbid one of my sleeping incarnations, to take on such a dangerous task as transporting this to Aketal'a."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Kagiso
Member Avatar


So there were more sleeping incarnations. Other than just herself. It was strange. Kagiso Cha'ne was a mythical hero and not just an assassin. It was time to act the part.

"I can lay down the portal stones. I can fly quickly, but I do need time to prepare." Kagiso planted her cloth cases on the ground and opened one, revealing a pair of metal cylinders stuck to a short metal cylinder by a hose. "I expect you'll take my gear through the portal. If you need an additional weapon, the simplest is this alchemical flame sprayer. Light the little prong near the nozzel here, and then work the pump. It isn't discriminate. The rest of my equipment is exceedingly complex, and the only person who can repair it is a fair distance away." Kagiso explained. She packed all of her ammunition and crossbow after folding it into the case and then sealed it, before handing it to Ari.

She stood in the middle of the room and activated another of her body's not-entirely-tested systems. At her shoulderblades her metal skin shifted, revealing thick metal plates and air intakes that would make a small airship designer blush. They ended farther down her back. More jets opened, at her feet and hands. Her wings unfurled, but with a different shape than normal. They were smaller, more angular, more like a falcon's instead of a great soaring hawk.

"I'm leaving. I'll be on Aketal'a soon." Faster, if she could enact the second part of her plan and commandeer an enemy light airship. Those were even faster than she was. Kagiso walked through the great temple and found the barricade, a rough wooden construction spanning the great entrance. The professional warriors of Nalai intermingled with conscripts, using long spears and naginata to keep their foes from the top. She stepped up to it, pressing past her allies.

"I'll be back." With a pop and a burst of smoke, she seemingly teleported straight into there. Then alchemical fluid mingled with the rushing air, and a single spark formed to ignite it. She rose into the sky on a trail of fire, screaming over the banners of Jaito.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
ZetaBoards gives you all the tools to create a successful discussion community.
Learn More · Register for Free
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · The Open Moonsea · Next Topic »
Reply

Top RP SitesVote for Imythess at Top Site List Planet
Top Site Lists
Misty Woods created by Helena & Cory of ZNR